Snowmen fit the reality of Christmas in Australia about as well as a water fight does in Europe. Seasons and the seasons affect culture – even reflect it. In Japan, the weather follows the rules. When the proverbial butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, causing a typhoon in China and its neighbouring countries, the Japanese… Continue reading Seasons
Journey
Our ryokan, Japanese inn, was near the centre of town and looked like any hotel from the outside, but inside it was essentially a Japanese house. I made sure my parents took off their shoes before stepping up into the lobby. One of the staff shuffled over to greet us and offer slippers. She looked… Continue reading Journey
Return of the Dead
“It’s not so particular to Nagasaki, but it finishes with lanterns to guide the spirits back to the underworld. Many people buy a lantern from one of the festival stalls and we put them in the river to float out to sea. The water was really calm, so they floated for miles and the ocean… Continue reading Return of the Dead
Trek
I’ve decided that you can only say you’re ‘too busy’ when you can’t even find the time to write to friends. After watching so many of you go through phases of silence, I guess I finally passed that point. It’s coming up on 3 months since I wrote and I think it will have to… Continue reading Trek
Trek
Their packs were small. I wondered how they would fit tents and sleeping bags in them and started to panic, thinking Honda-san had stuffed up again. He was the experienced one among the Japanese, hiking up to five times each year, but he’d failed miserably when he went to Australia. Before he left, he asked… Continue reading Trek
Music
I felt very out of place for half an hour, sitting at the back of the hall with a bunch of kids, but when the band came on, I forgot about that. They started with ‘sayonara no hi,’ goodbye day, a song bouncing with percussion that brought the audience to their feet – figuratively. There… Continue reading Music
Customer Service
“Captain on the bridge.” The words weren’t actually said, but I could hear echoes of them whenever I approached. Every technician would stop what he was doing and stand ready, as if waiting for new orders. “Don’t let me interrupt. Continue what you were doing.” No movement. “Kasamatsu-san, I just wanted to see how things… Continue reading Customer Service
Parties
Well, once again I revert to writing this when I’m at work in obscure hours. This time I might as well call it ‘what I did on other people’s holidays’. The sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky. It’s about 20C on a perfect Spring day. At least that’s what I see on… Continue reading Parties
Flower Viewing
“mita? sakura ga saita,” said each person as they came in, tones reverent. Did you see? The cherry flowers blossomed. All day, the office buzzed with a peculiar mix of anticipation, serenity and excitement, and wandering around the city that evening, I felt the same atmosphere on every street corner. In my head, I saw… Continue reading Flower Viewing
Sex
I had no reason not to gawk however, and did so keenly. A man in a doctor’s coat stood beside a gorgeous young woman, naked but for a large area of pixelation stretching from hip to hip. Display of pubic hair is illegal in Japan, rendering the whole erotic industry impotent to achieve its objective.… Continue reading Sex